Lucas,
Thanks so much for signing on to our petition and making your voice heard
on the Supreme Court's disastrous Hobby Lobby ruling. As long as we
stick together and speak out against injustices like this, we can achieve
real, positive change.
In response to the Hobby Lobby case, I've co-authored a bill called the
Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act of 2014, which would prevent for-profit companies from denying their employees
any type of federally mandated health coverage, including contraception.
You can read about the introduction of the bill in the House here.
I am pleased to announce that
the
STEM Education Act
, which I introduced with Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), was passed by the House
yesterday.
My bill encourages and promotes education in science, technology, engineering,
and math by expanding professional development for teachers and providing
resources for hands-on STEM learning for students. It will now go to the
Senate for approval and then to the president for his signature.
Also, President Obama recently signed into law the very first bill that
I introduced when I took office, the
Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act
.
This legislation will allow the town of Canton to operate two dams in
Collinsville that have the ability to power 1,500 homes and local businesses.
Clean, locally-produced energy benefits our health and economy, and it's
important that we develop these affordable energy sources right here at home.
Last week, I was proud to help pass the bipartisan
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which will support job training and assist manufacturers and small businesses
in hiring new workers. It's exactly the type of commonsense legislation
we need to create quality jobs for American workers and help businesses succeed.
Thanks for your help and support on all of these issues. I look forward
to sharing more news about the breakthroughs I'm making in Washington
for our families in the near future!
Best,
Elizabeth